PM's adviser calls for open govt approach

PRIME Minister Julia Gillard's communications director says governments and the public should work together to develop policies that solve the problems in society.

John McTernan, who looked at ways to reform the public sector during his time as a Thinker in Residence in South Australia, has also urged the development of an "open data" approach to government information.

"Adopting an open data framework to increase transparency, accountability and collaboration would allow the digitally literate public to design innovative ways to use government data," he said in his report, which has just been made public.

"It would also stimulate and support service sector entrepreneurs while providing opportunities for SA to lead the nation in online service design.

"The synergies with the rollout of the National Broadband Network are obvious."

In his report Mr McTernan said it was a vicious parody to describe government policymaking as "decide and defend", something SA Premier Jay Weatherill says his administration wants to avoid.

But he said it was wrong for governments to assume everyone shared a common understanding of a particular problem.

"So the starting point of policy development needs to be, do we agree on precisely what the problem is?" he said.

"Only then can you proceed to policy approaches to tackle the problem."

Mr McTernan says governments need to appreciate they are dealing with a highly educated country, "one in which deference of any sort has completely disappeared".

"Everybody in Australia has got two personal researchers - Google and Wikipedia.

"So, in the end you need to be clear: this is the problem, these are the facts, this is the way we're going to analyse it, and this is what we're going to do."

Before becoming communications director for Ms Gillard, Mr McTernan worked in a variety of advisory roles in British politics including time as a special adviser to former prime minister Tony Blair.

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